High speed shots

[Gidders]

Or just hit it harder

[yelvertoft]

This thread just keeps getting better and better.

[Lello]

Brilliant Don, I was trying to find something else to use the trigger on!!
Nicely thought out (I take it this was only the first bulb?)
I assume you are going to wait for another household bulb to blow to try again?

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by Lello

Nicely thought out (I take it this was only the first bulb?)
I assume you are going to wait for another household bulb to blow to try again?

Lello,
Provided you do not get bounce this works first time. So a test for exposure then hit the bulb.

I have just posted the latest in the gallery ( only had 2 bulbs ). But here it is along with details of the trigger.

Well I added another layer of card but with minimal impact on slowing down the trigger point.

I have attatched a pic of the trigger which comprises three 6" x 4" mattes stacked and foil attatched to top and bottom. Budgie on my finger as I type this so I will do a graphic of the flashgun terminal tomorrow.

Trigger was taped to a table and covered with a cloth and the bulb placed on top.

For the exposure the camera was set to 2 secs to allow sufficient time to trigger it and hit the bulb with the hammer. Exposure was in a darkened room and so is controlled by the duration of the flash. In this case 1/30,000 sec.

Don

[Lello]

Don you seem to have a lot of light, Did you use only one flash?
Can you post the flash setup.
Lello

[Don Hoey]

Lello,

I did use a seperate flash to light the background only, tripped by a slave. As this had a burst duration of only 1/10,000 sec it was important that no light spill from it touched the subject.

I will do a sketch and post.

Don

[Don Hoey]

OK Lello as requested the light set up.

I did not mention the Metz in the kit used in the gallery as it could be confusing. The key thing with this stuff being flash duration. The Vivitar is able to get to 1/30,000 so good for freezing motion. The Metz best is 1/10,000 sec way to slow. Position of the lights had to take account of those speeds. If the Metz had lit the bulb then its speed would not have been suffucient to freeze motion.

Stray light would have created this effect - Vivitar stops motion but Metz does not, so anything the Metz exposed would be blurred.

I hope that makes sense.

Don

[Don Hoey]

For anyone wanting to try this on the cheap with a foil trigger the attatched graphic explains how to convert your standard flash lead to connect to the foil trigger. Remember the flash is NOT connected to the camera.

I have used crocadile clips to terminate my extensions. Well I had them and it makes setting up a lot easier. They are not absolutly necessary but definately make life easier.
Remember in all this that if you have the flash power on and you touch both ends of the circuit you WILL get a tingle. The higher the trigger voltage of the flashgun, the greater the tingle.

In a DIY sense you need a roll of pvc insulating tape, 4 croc clips and about a metre of electric flex cable.
For the trigger I bought a total of four 6"x4" photo mattes for £3 and nicked a bit of foil off Stevies roll in the kitchen.

Don

[yelvertoft]

Very well explained Don, thanks.

[Lello]

Thanks for the explanation Don, I'm waiting for my local camera shop to get me a remote trigger flash, (about £5.00) So I can have my second flash triggered by the first flash triggered by the sound trigger, If you know what I mean